Debbie Corum started thinking about all the groundbreaking moments she has witnessed in her lifetime. A first black coach, a first woman leader, and it started to sink in that she had joined their ranks.

On Thursday, Corum was named the Southern Utah University Director of Athletics becoming the first woman Division I AD in the state’s history.

“It puts a little bit more pressure on me,” Corum said. “I realize that I’m representing opening a door up for women. I want to make sure that doesn’t close because I don’t do a good job.”

So far, so good.

Corum, who has been at SUU since May of 2016, was named interim AD in June after Jason Butikofer left SUU to take a job at Purdue. And many SUU teams have thrived this fall. The T-Bird cross country team finished No. 11 at nationals -- its highest finish ever. The SUU football team won the Big Sky, set a season-attendance record and will host a playoff game for the first time in program history. The soccer team is improved and the SUU men’s basketball squad can go over .500 for the first time in four years with a win on Saturday.

She helped organize a hurricane relief effort when the T-Birds traveled to Stephen F. Austin in September and has brought in an architectural firm to help create a master facility plan. A plan that should be out this coming spring.

She has identified one of her top goals, though. She wants SUU to finish in the Top 100 of the Director’s Cup standings; the T-Birds finished No. 153 last season.

“That means every program has to do well,” Corum said. “I’ve talked to ADs who have said that you have to pick one or two programs and let them win. I don’t believe in that. We can do things to help every single program.”

When asked if each program currently had what it needed to reach the next level, Corum was quick to answer: “No, we have a lot to do.”

And she’s excited to officially begin working. Over the last five months, the SUU athletic department has been stuck in a waiting period. Thursday’s announcement offered some relief to many of the staff members.

“It’s been nerve-wracking for the staff,” Corum said. “For me, I was just going to do the same thing, day-to-day. I think it will be really nice for the department to get settled.”

Before joining the SUU staff, Corum spent time at UConn (2012-2016), the Southeastern Conference (2000-2012), Louisiana State University (1996-2000) and Stanford University (1994-1996). She’s rubbed shoulders with a lot of great athletic administrators and now gets a chance to lead her own department.

“Debbie arrived here with 28 years of experience in collegiate athletics. She quickly proved her vision and leadership are exactly what we need at this crucial time,” SUU President Scott Wyatt said. “SUU athletics will flourish under her compassionate and fearless direction.”

As for the historic importance of the hire, Corum is appreciative of the opportunity to help open doors for future women.

“The thing I like is President Wyatt has made it very clear to me that he didn’t hire me because I’m a woman,” Corum said. “He hired me because of my qualities. But being the first female athletic director in the state just makes you realize that you are a pioneer and maybe people can stop questioning if a female can lead a program that has a football program.”